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He tells her he's a woman too
He has a ladybrain
He tells her his identity
and hers; they are the same
He tells her not to talk about
her body; it's not fair
her body is her privilege
his own, a cross to bear

He tells her that she cannot talk
or otherwise allude
to what her female body does
It's nasty to exclude
He says respect diversity
except he would prefer
that she would not point out the ways
that he's diverse from her

He tells her that biology
does not impact her life
she should still bear his children
but she must call him 'wife'
He says that words must all evolve
She must learn to make do
And now that woman is his word
He's taking 'female' too

He tells her that a woman is
whatever he decides
He will not put it into words
She must not ask, he chides
He tells her he is more oppressed
Than she has ever been
He says she must agree with him
or else she's being mean

She searches for the words she needs
To talk about herself
The billions who exist like her
their lives, their rights, their health
Whatever word she chooses now
He finds a way to spin it
The conversation carries on

I am a doctoral candidate in Feminist Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. I passionately advocate for reproductive justice, and resist reproductive oppression, in the many forms it takes.

I have five years of experience teaching at the university level. I am particularly interested in developing courses that introduce students to feminism and feminist history. I have also developed two courses focused on women's health and reproductive politics.